Many couples believe that it is easy to have a child and are often surprised when the woman does not fall pregnant as soon as they start trying for a baby. The chance of getting pregnant in each menstrual cycle (each month) is calculated to be one in four for an average fertile couple. However, it may take a long time to conceive, even if everything is normal. Eight out of every ten women trying for a baby will fall pregnant within the first year. Women who do become pregnant without any medical assistance generally do so within two years of trying. It is common for couples to seek help and advice if there is difficulty conceiving. Overall, around 15 per cent (one in six) of all couples will seek help. The point at which they may want to seek help will depend on various factors. For example, if they are over 35 years of age or if they have any worrying symptoms, such as infrequent periods, the couple should seek help after about six months of trying.
What happens during normal conception?
1. The woman
Ovulation is the end of a complicated series of events leading to the release of an egg from the ovary. If that egg is fertilized by a sperm and implants in the lining of the womb (endometrium), a pregnancy has started. All of a woman's eggs will already be present when she is born. From the early years of childhood, she starts to lose eggs, but it is calculated that a woman aged 50 still has about 1000 of her eggs left.
